A method for operating a machine for harvesting root crops and/or for separating root crops from further additionally conveyed material that includes at least soil in the form of loose earth and/or soil aggregates, the method comprising the steps of:
- capturing, by means of at least one electromagnetic or acoustic image acquisition unit, at least one inspection image of at least one portion of the material moved relative to a machine frame of the machine by at least one transport element
- generating, on the basis of at least one inspection data set generated using the inspection image and/or formed by this image, via an evaluation device, an adjustment signal for adjusting at least one operating parameter of the transport element and/or a further transport element of the machine,
- determining at least one feature for describing a capability of the additionally conveyed soil to be screened by the evaluation device and
- using the at least one feature for adjusting the operating parameter.